This invention relates to a machine and method for handling sheet material and more particularly to a machine and method for forming and severing the neck loop of a garment during the manufacturing process.
A method and a machine for making bib aprons, have been developed. The machine is extremely economical and highly satisfactory in use. A representative apron of the type produced is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,801,985, filed Jan. 11, 1973 by Richard A. Batt; a particularly advantageous method for producing the apron is disclosed in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 529,713, filed Dec. 5, 1974, by Richard A. Batt and Charles B. Green, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,775; and a particularly advantageous machine for producing bib aprons is disclosed in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 388,813, filed Aug. 16, 1973, by George A. Burt and William M. Neill, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,395. The aprons are customarily fabricated from a continuous web of non-woven material which is provided with side seams along its longitudinal edges and is cut in a transverse direction to form successive sheets. A narrow non-woven strip is positioned across each sheet and is oriented such that when two of the opposed corners of the sheet are folded over the strip and are attached to the body of the sheet, the strip is firmly held in place to form both the neck loop and the tie elements for the apron.
Bib aprons of the type hereinabove described have found great success in various applications. In some applications, however, women wearing these aprons have complained that the neck loop portion of the apron disturbs their hairdo when the apron is put on or taken off. One particular application where this has been a problem is that of airline stewardesses where the aprons are used once and are then discarded.